Scientists are raising alarms over risks posed by synthetic 'mirror life' bacteria, urging an immediate halt to such research. On Friday, a report warning about the dangers of creating 'mirror' microbes was published in the journal Science. A group of 38 scientists, including Nobel laureates Greg Winter and Jack Szostak, highlights the potential global health risks associated with mirror bacteria, particularly their ability to evade immune defenses and spread uncontrollably.

"Unless compelling evidence emerges that mirror life would not pose extraordinary dangers, we believe that mirror bacteria and other mirror organisms, even those with engineered biocontainment measures, should not be created," the authors wrote in the article, as reported by Phys.org.

Mirror bacteria are theoretical life forms constructed from mirror-image biological molecules that are the opposite of those found in nature. All living organisms have DNA composed of right-handed nucleotides and proteins made from left-handed amino acids. This property, known as chirality, dictates how molecules interact chemically and is fundamental to life.

Scientists warn that mirror bacteria could evade natural immune defenses, making them capable of overcoming most barriers that keep ordinary organisms in check, including bacterial predators, antibiotics, and digestive enzymes. Existing antibiotics might be ineffective against such bacteria because they are designed to target microbes in their natural forms., A drug would likely be useless against a mirror cell, as it could not properly interact with essential molecules, The Guardian reports.

Professor Vaughn Cooper from the University of Pittsburgh emphasized the severity of the threat. "The threat we are talking about is unprecedented," he said, according to The Guardian.

Dr. Kate Adamala, a synthetic biologist at the University of Minnesota and co-author of the report, was previously working on creating a mirror cell but changed direction after thoroughly examining the risks. "We should not make mirror life," she stated, as reported by The Guardian.

The authors propose organizing a global discussion involving scientists, policymakers, research funders, industry, civil society, and the public to better understand and mitigate the potential risks posed by mirror bacteria. They stress the importance of addressing this issue proactively, given the unique and alarming threat these organisms could pose.

Mirror bacteria could potentially displace natural organisms, disrupt ecosystems, and harm biodiversity due to their ability to evade natural predators and competitors. Professor Michael Kay, a biochemistry professor at the University of Utah, described mirror life as "the ultimate invasive species," according to the Financial Times [https://www.ft.com/content/af39c5f1-3c7c-4097-897b-6793cddf658d].

Although constructing an entire organism from mirror molecules is currently beyond technological capabilities, researchers have made significant progress in recent years, with the possibility that such organisms could be created within the next decade. The scientists warn that advancements in biotechnology might lead to organisms capable of triggering catastrophic pandemics and causing severe agricultural losses.

Jack W. Szostak, a Nobel Prize-winning chemist at the University of Chicago, expressed concern over mirror cell research. "The consequences could be globally disastrous," he is cited as saying by The New York Times [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/12/science/mirror-life-microbes-research.html].

Cooper noted that investing in countermeasures against mirror life would be "essentially pointless." "It's impossible to inoculate the planet against mirror bacteria because they would be invisible to our immune systems," he said, according to the Financial Times.

The group hopes to guide research on mirror bacteria while prioritizing safety for people, animals, and the environment. "While mirror bacteria are still a theoretical concept and something that we likely won't see for a few decades, we have an opportunity here to consider and pre-empt risks before they arise," remarked Professor Patrick Cai, a synthetic genomics and biosecurity expert from The University of Manchester.

The researchers advocate for examining the governance of enabling technologies to ensure they are managed responsibly and plan to host a series of events to encourage open discussion about the report.

"Sharing these conclusions with the public and calling for a broad discussion is a role model of responsible science today," stated Filippa Lentzos, a biosecurity expert at King's College London, according to The New York Times.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq